Coupling and actuation circuit for a multi-keyboard instrument

ABSTRACT

An electrical circuit adapted to actuate a multi-keyboard instrument, more particularly a pipe organ, and which includes electronic couplings to energize electrical actuators associated with other keys than the one played. This circuit is adapted for actuation of a pipe organ having a plurality of keyboards and includes electrical couplings between the keys of one keyboard and keys of other keyboards, a light responsive resistor in each of the electrical couplings, and lights to selectively energize the actuators of any of the other keyboards for operation thereof by action of the keys of the one keyboard.

United States Patent Ferch Sept. 9, 1975 3,614.287 lO/l97l Klann ..84/341 Primary Examiner.loseph W. Hartary [75] Inventor: Werner Ferch, Fabreville, Canada Assistant Examiner vit w Miska [73] Assignee: Casavant Freres Limited, St.

Hyacinthe, Canada [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1974 An electrical circuit adapted to actuate a multikeyboard instrument, more particularly a pipe organ. Appl' [K104500950 and which includes electronic couplings to energize electrical actuators associated with other keys than 52 us. Cl 84/341; 84/424 the 0m P ThiS circuit is adapted for actuation of [SI] Int. Cl. G10B 3/10 a Pipe organ jwmg a plurality of keyboards and 58 Field of Search 34/337, 341, 424 dudes elecnieal couplings between the keys of one keyboard and keys of other keyboards, a light respon- [56] References Cited sive resistor in each of the electrical couplings, and UNITED STATES PATENTS lights to seiectlvely energize the actuators of any of the other keyboards for operation thereof by action of 1,721,! l0 7/1929 Garman 84/34l the keys offlm one keyboard 2,927,494 3/1960 Johnson v 84/424 3501990 3/1970 Jappe et al 84/34! Claims, 1 Drawing Figure r1, IH J '5 L n i i 8 4 a fi IZ m. 1% g: 0

l6 z i B l d 15 I4 7 45 -H 12m 5 I6 12 5 s k 5:- qr I L! U C 5 J mt COUPLING AND ACTUATION CIRCUIT FOR A MULTI-KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT This invention relates to an electrical circuit adapted for actuation of a multi keyboard instrument such as a pipe organ and, more particularly. to a circuit of this type incorporating coupling means between the keys of the several keyboards of the instrument.

There has anteriorly been proposed to actuate a pipe organ by means of an electrical circuit including electronic coupling between the notes of the different keyboards of the organ. This coupling has been done using transistors and a relatively involved circuitry. The resulting prior art system 'has been found disadvantageous due to its multiplicity of components, the intricate connections and the difficulty of tracing down a defective component.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an electronic coupling circuit of the above type, which is of relatively simpler construction, higher reliability and easier maintenance and repair.

it is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an electronic coupling circuit of the above type, which includes a relatively simple wiring and fewer components, and wherein the defects can be more easily located.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood in the light of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

the sole FIGURE illustrates a simplified circuit diagram of an electrical circuit including means for actuation of a keyboard pipe organ according to the present invention.

The illustrated circuit is adapted to be connected to a pipe organ, not shown, having four different keyboards hereinafter called the PEDAL keyboard, the GREAT keyboard, the POSITIV keyboard, and the SWELL keyboard. The playing keys of these keyboards are adapted, in any appropriate manner, to operate corresponding switches respectively herein represented by only four switches l, 2, 3, and 4. It must be noted that the latter are from the four different keyboards and, preferably, correspond to the same note of each of the keyboards. The other switches of the keyboards and the associated components have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The pipe organ includes pipes, each having an air valve, not shown. The circuit drives electromagnetic coils 5, one for each key of the four keyboards. These coils are each operatively associated with the corresponding primary air valve which actuates the air valve of each pipe, depending on the stop action. Conductors connect the switches in series with the corresponding electromagnetic coils 5 respectively, such as the electrical conductors 6, 7, 8, and 9. Due to the inductive load, a diode I0 is connected in parallel with each electromagnetic coil 5. A supply line 1 l is connected to one pole of each of the switches including the switches I, 2, 3, and 4. The supply line 11 feeds the desired d.c., potential to the circuit.

A first set of electrical couplings l2 electrically connect the conductors 7 for the GREAT keyboard to the conductors 6 respectively for the PEDAL keyboard. Similarly, a second set of electrical couplings 12 connect the conductors 8 to the conductors 6', a third set of electrical couplings l2 connect the conductors 9 to the conductors 6; a fourth set of electrical couplings l2 connect the conductors 8 to the conductors 7; a fifth set of electrical couplings l2 connect the conductors 9 to the conductors 7; and a sixth set of electrical couplings l2 connect the conductors 9 to the conductors 8.

Each electrical coupling 12 includes a light responsive or light dependent resistor 13 connected to the anode of a rectifier diode 14, in series therewith. A light 15 is juxtaposed to each light responsive resistor 13 to illuminate the same upon selective actuation of a manual switch 16 operatively connected thereto. Thus, any particular resistor 13 may be selectively illuminated by closing the appropriate switch 16 connected in series with the corresponding light 15 and with an electrical d.c. supply, not shown.

ln practice, all the electrical couplings 12 of any of the above sets are concurrently illuminated such that all the notes of one keyboard are coupled to the notes of the other keyboard. As may be readily understood, the coupling action is produced by decrease of the resistance of the resistors 13 upon illumination thereof. Current is thus allowed to pass through the associated diode 14 to bypass the open switch 3 and actuate the coil 5 of the conductor corresponding to the playing key which is coupled to the played note or key.

It must be noted that all the resistors 13 of each of the above sets, or any number thereof, may be illuminated by a common light 15 of appropriate construction.

Obviously, the afore-mentioned coupling and actuation circuit may be connected to other multi-keyboards instrument than pipe organs, if desired. Such instrument as the pipe organ may have more or less than four keyboards and the principle of the invention is still applicable thereto by providing the desired and required sets of electrical couplings 12.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical circuit for actuation of a keyboard instrument having at least two sets of playing keys, comprising actuation switches associated with said playing keys respectively and selectively closed by actuation of the corresponding playing key, electrical actuators associated with said playing keys respectively for actuating the associated sound-producing means of said instrument, electrical links connecting said electrical actuators to said actuation switches of said playing keys respectively,, electrical couplings joining said electrical links in pairs from one set to another set of said playing keys and each including a light responsive device connected in circuit therein for controlled cou pling and uncoupling between the electrical links of the corresponding pair, and selectively energizable light means operatively juxtaposed to said light responsive devices to selectively illuminate the latter, whereby to produce the corresponding coupling.

2. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said electrical couplings includes a rectifier element for unidirectional coupling operation upon energization by dc current.

3. An electrical circuit as claimed in claim I, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically aetuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electrical actuators include electro-magnetic coils juxtaposed to said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.

4. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

5. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said electrical links constitute electrical conductors connected between said actuation switches and said electrical actuators respectively. and said electrical actuators include electro-magnetic coils connected in series with said electrical conductors respectively, and further including rectifier elements connected in parallel with said electromagnetic coils.

6. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically actuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electrical actuators include electromagnetic coils juxtaposed to said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.

7. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

8. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 5, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically actuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electro-magnetic coils are operatively associated with said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.

9. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 5, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

10. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 3, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

11. Ari electrical circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

12. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 8, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.

13. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 7, wherein there are at least four sets of playing keys, each set arranged as a keyboard of said instrument, and there are sufficient electrical couplings to join the electrical links of all the playing keys of one set to the electrical links of the playing keys of all the other sets. 

1. An electrical circuit for actuation of a keyboard instrument having at least two sets of playing keys, comprising actuation switches associated with said playing keys respectively and selectively closed by actuation of the corresponding playing key, electrical actuators associated with said playing keys respectively for actuating the associated sound-producing means of said instrument, electrical links connecting said electrical actuators to said actuation switches of said playing keys respectively,, electrical couplings joining said electrical links in pairs from one set to another set of said playing keys and each including a light responsive device connected in circuit therein for controlled coupling and uncoupling between the electrical links of the corresponding pair, and selectively energizable light means operatively juxtaposed to said light responsive devices to selectively illuminate the latter, whereby to produce the corresponding coupling.
 2. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said electrical couplings includes a rectifier element for unidirectional coupling operation upon energization by d.c. current.
 3. An electrical circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically actuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electrical actuators include electro-magnetic coils juxtaposed to said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.
 4. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 5. An electrical circuit as defIned in claim 2, wherein said electrical links constitute electrical conductors connected between said actuation switches and said electrical actuators respectively, and said electrical actuators include electro-magnetic coils connected in series with said electrical conductors respectively, and further including rectifier elements connected in parallel with said electromagnetic coils.
 6. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically actuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electrical actuators include electromagnetic coils juxtaposed to said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.
 7. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 8. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 5, wherein said instrument constitutes an electro-mechanically actuated pipe organ having a plurality of pipes and air valves connected to said pipes respectively, and said electro-magnetic coils are operatively associated with said air valves respectively for selective actuation thereof.
 9. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 5, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 10. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 3, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 11. An electrical circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 12. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 8, wherein said light responsive devices constitute light dependent resistors.
 13. An electrical circuit as defined in claim 7, wherein there are at least four sets of playing keys, each set arranged as a keyboard of said instrument, and there are sufficient electrical couplings to join the electrical links of all the playing keys of one set to the electrical links of the playing keys of all the other sets. 